Activism is a strategy that continues to be a driver of social change, and one that is synonymous with the American higher education system. Some educators are undergoing a slight paradigm shift - moving from viewing student activism as a detraction from learning to seeing it as a source of potential hands-on learning and student development. Nancy Guzman shares insights on research that finds that activism is a formative experience that develops students into principled, engaged and productive adults, just as effectively - and sometimes more so - than traditionally accepted forms of leadership development. Nancy Guzman is a Student Success Advisor at Triton College, a suburban community college, working to empower students by facilitating a smooth transitions to college, develop academic and career plans to achieve their goals and ensure students are connected to resources they need. She is a member of the Guided Pathways Steering Committee working to reform the institution’s approach to onboarding, advising, supporting students. She shares a passion for student development and an internalized social justice mission of challenging systems that perpetuate inequity. When she is not advising students, she volunteers her time in her hometown Aurora, Illinois through several community-wide organizations and advisory boards. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx